–on charges ranging from armed robbery to gun, ‘ganja’ possession
FOLLOWING a police investigation into an armed robbery at a store in Lethem, eight Brazilians were on Friday arrested and placed before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan on a number of different charges.
Gabriel Fanun Da Pinha, 31; Elton Diego Doarete, 30; and Luenderson Mangabeira, 25, were jointly charged with armed robbery allegedly committed on January 23 at Barrack Street, Lethem.
The charge reads that the trio, while being armed with guns, robbed Maxine Buckley of a quantity of watches, cellphones and jewellery, along with cash totalling $3.8M, the property of one Dwayne Grant.
The trio pleaded not guilty to the charge, hence their attorney, Jerome Khan, during application for bail, told the court that prior to the robbery, the three men had indeed been in the store, but they’d been shopping, and had already left the premises when the robbery is alleged to have occurred.
Meanwhile,four other Brazilians, namely Jardiel DaSilva, Elinaldo DaSilva, Ana Pereira and Bruna Herculana, were all jointly charged for allegedly having in their possession a .38 revolver, a 9mm magazine, and 42 live rounds of ammunition on January 23, at Tabatinga, Lethem.
Of course, they all denied the charge.
Also placed before the courts was 46-year-old Albertino Filho for possession of 106 grams of cannabis for the purpose of trafficking. He, too, denied the charge.
Police Prosecutor Gordon Mansfield objected to bail being granted to either of the eight Brazilians on the grounds that they all pose a flight risk, since they have no ties to Guyana.
As such, the chief magistrate remanded them all to prison until February 6 when the matter will be recalled at the Lethem Magistrates Court.
According to a police report, on January 23, three Brazilians were arrested following a robbery at Michael’s Jewellery and Cell Phone Shop in Lethem.
The robbers allegedly stormed the store, which belongs to Bon Fim businessman Dwayne Grant, held his wife, who was alone, at gunpoint, and stole a quantity of watches along with cash and other items before making good their escape in Grant’s car.
The trio were, however, caught when the car crashed in front of the store.
After their arrest, the police went to a house in Tabatinga, Lethem, where the robbers reportedly lived, and were forced to take cover as several rounds were fired at them from inside the building.
When the dust had settled, five more Brazilians were arrested, after a revolver along with ammunition and drugs were found in the house.
